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Why put the task on your Home Screen?
Opening an app can be a barrier of its own. Returning to the Home Screen can also turn into opening a distracting app instead.
PlanCoach widgets put the current step, full plan, bookmarked Action Tips and a random task or idea directly in view. You can mark a step complete, move on or repeat a routine without opening PlanCoach first.
Add a widget
Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen, then open the widget picker. Depending on iOS, use + or Edit → Add Widget. Search for PlanCoach, swipe to choose a type and size, tap Add Widget, then Done.
You can also preview the four types in PlanCoach Settings → Widgets.
1. Current Step
Sizes: small, medium and Lock Screen rectangular.
This widget hides the long list and shows the next action, overall progress and coach.
- Tap the right arrow to complete the current step and advance.
- When the plan is finished, the coach celebrates. Tap the repeat button to redo a routine from the Home Screen.
Choose which plan it follows
Touch and hold the widget → Edit Widget → Plan.
- Current Task, the default, follows the latest plan in progress.
- Select a bookmarked plan to keep the widget tied to that plan.
- Choose a transparent background or one of 11 theme colours, including orange, blue, green and mint.
2. Full Plan Steps
Sizes: medium and large.
The widget shows the full step list, crosses out completed steps and highlights the current step. Tap any row to complete that step, even if you are not following the original order.
For example, tap “Drink a glass of warm water” in a morning plan. It is crossed out and the current step becomes “Brush teeth and wash face,” entirely on the Home Screen.
Touch and hold → Edit Widget to choose Current Task or a bookmarked plan, and change the background colour.
3. Action Tips bookmarks
Sizes: small, medium, Lock Screen circular and Lock Screen rectangular.
When a coach’s Action Tip encourages you or makes something click, bookmark it. This widget randomly rotates your saved tips with the coach who gave them.
If you have no saved tips yet, it shows your current companion coach as a shortcut instead.
4. Earth Online
Sizes: small and medium.
This pixel-art widget is for those moments when you have spare time but do not know what to do. Tap the idea or task option to draw a random entry from Ideas or your unfinished plans.
Use shuffle for another draw or home to return to the cover.
Keep multiple draws independent
Touch and hold → Edit Widget, then assign a slot: A, B, C or D. Different slots keep separate draw states.
For example, put one widget in slot A for ideas and another in slot B for tasks. Each keeps its own result.
Useful combinations
Two Current Step widgets side by side
Let one follow Current Task for changing daytime work. Bind the other to a bookmarked bedtime or morning plan so that routine stays ready to use.
A Smart Stack
Stack Current Step, Action Tips bookmarks and Earth Online in the same space. Show the task while working, then swipe to an encouraging tip or a random idea when you need a change.
A StandBy display
On an iPhone with iOS 17 or later, place the phone sideways on a charging stand and configure StandBy to show PlanCoach widgets. Keep the current step beside your monitor while you work or study.
For the reasoning and a fuller setup combining reminders, Live Activities and Navigation Mode, read External Brain on Screen.